Saint Cecilia with Saint Paul, Saint John the Evangelist, Sa

In the center, Saint Cecilia holds a small portable organ with pipes slipping out, signaling her shift from earthly to divine music. At her feet lie discarded and broken musical instruments, including a viola da gamba, a tambourine, and cymbals. The four surrounding saints respond with varied expressions of contemplation and direct gaze toward the viewer, while a heavenly choir appears in the clouds above.

This work reflects the Neoplatonic theory of the 'four divine furors'—specifically the musical or poetic madness—as articulated by Marsilio Ficino, which allows the soul to ascend from material shadows to divine truth. It visualizes the Boethian hierarchy of music, showing the rejection of 'musica instrumentalis' (audible instruments) in favor of the 'musica mundana' (the harmony of the spheres).